At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Stampede at Ghana Armed Forces Enlistment Event
At least six people have died amid a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in the West African nation.
The Wednesday's "tragic" incident appeared to have been caused by "an unexpected surge of candidates who overcame security measures and stormed the entrances," announced a statement from Ghana's armed forces.
Twenty-two additional individuals were hurt, including five who remain in critical condition.
A large crowd had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the capital, Accra, with the hope of joining the armed forces.
The country has a rate of joblessness among young people of about thirty-two percent, the most recent government statistics show, and such enlistment drives normally draw large crowds and frequently lead to disorderly situations.
The closing date to apply for this event was prolonged for a seven days to accommodate additional candidates, as a number had experienced difficulties in the application procedure.
Army spokesperson Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin said the crush occurred before the event's scheduled start of 06:20 GMT.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has visited the injured in hospital.
Calm has been reestablished, and the enlistment process has now begun.
